Learning from Each Other
In a recent professional development conference at my school, teachers in groups of three to four were given a deck of cards and asked to build the tallest tower they could in four minutes without talking. The first time, my group’s tower was the lowest, not even going above the surface level. We could not get the cards to stay without falling down. We were then given one minute to discuss strategy before another chance to build. In our talk time, I mentioned how I saw other groups folding the cards, and that gave them enough stability to get their cards off the ground. Another member of my group said we could not copy and had to come up with our own creative idea. That started a debate in my mind – Is learning from someone cheating or encouraged? When building our tower again, at the moment the timer went off our cards were still not off the ground because we tried the same ideas we did the first time to avoid “copying.” It was in that moment that my internal debate ended; sometimes you need to use the success of others to boost your own success.
When working with ePortfolios, it is important to learn from our peers. Reviewing other ePortfolios to help me build my own taught me three important lessons.
The ePortfolio is personal and unique.
The ePortfolio can help the creator and the readers.
The ePortfolio can be a catalyst for change.
First, the ePortfolio is personal and unique. Every ePortfolio I have seen looks different and has varying contents, and that is exactly how it should be. No person is the same. No teacher or student is the same. No ePortfolio should be the same. Second, the ePortfolio can help the creator and the readers. In developing an ePortfolio, the creator embodies COVA and grows as an educator. Meanwhile, the readers are able to grow with the creator as they learn from their posts. Third, the ePortfolio can be a catalyst for change. The ePortfolio itself represents a transformation in education in which learning is student-driven, but the contents of it can also lead to change for the individual, an organization, or even something bigger. Viewing other ePortfolios is a critical component of ePortfolio success, just like using the idea of folding the cards was a critical component of building the tallest tower.
